Brace or stay for furniture



(No Model.)

J. BERKEY.

BRAGBOR STAY FOR FURNITURE. No. 454,705. Patented June 23, 1891.

ATTORNEY.

WIT/V588 l/VVE/VTOR W B) I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JULIUS BERKEY, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

B-RACE OR STAY FOR FURNITURE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 454,705, dated June 23, 1891. Application filed February 25, 1890. Serial No. 341,742- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JULIUS BERKEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Braces or Stays for Furniture, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a new and improved furniture-brace adapted to the attachment of furniture having an upper and lower section, such as toilet-cases, lounges, and analogous pieces of furniture; and the invention consists in a metallic elastic furniture-brace having perforated side flanges curved lengthwise and arched between the side flanges, as hereinafter described, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a dresser and toilet-frame attached, showing two of my improved metallic braces applied to secure the toilet-frame to the body of the dresser. Fig. 2 is a plan view of one of the braces with dotted lines, showing the form of brace in crosssection. Fig. 2' is a cross-section on line 00 a: of Fig. 2. Fig. 3 is an edge view of a preferred form of the brace. Fig. at is a crosssectional view of a modified form of the brace. Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of alounge, showing the back attached to the body by means of an angular or modified brace. Fig. 6 is an end view of a lounge, showing an attachment by means of an angular brace; and Fig. 7 is an edge view of the angular brace used in attaching the backs of lounges to the bodies of lounges or attaching together two parts that are not in the same plane.

Similar letters and figures refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings, B represents the body of an ordinary dresser-case, and D D the toiletframe supporting the glass.

A represents a metallic brace, which is preferably cut from a plate or sheet of metal and pressed or formed upon a die to the proper shape. The brace is arched transversely between its side flanges, and is of such arched form approximately its entire length, so that in a center cross-sectional view it will have the form shown by the crosssection in Fig. 2, or in its modified form a form shown in the cross-sectional View shown in Fig. 4. The

flanges are provided with a series of screwholes 1 2 3 4, &c. The number of holes may be varied, but each plate should contain a sufficient number to secure a firm attachment 5 5 of the brace to the case and to the frame.

In a brace designed for use where the two parts to be united are in the same plane I prei'er to have the brace curved longitudinally or lengthwise, as shown in Fig. 3. This construetion of brace is applied to the parts to be united with its arched'or center bulge outermost, and hence in screwing up the screws the perforated flanges of the curved brace are gradually pressed down upon the parts to be 7 connected. The opposite side flanges of the brace having the screw or nail holes are, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, in the same plane or approximately so, and the'arched part of the brace is between such side flanges. This arched construction produces a strong, durable, and efficient brace for connecting parts that may be placed in or out of alignment.

In constructing the brace for a lounge or other article of furniture which has the back usually set at an angle to the body of the lounge the brace is curved longitudinally, in order to fit both the body and the back. This form is fully illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7. hen the brace is made from thin sheets of metal, if a single brace is not rigid or strong enough for the purpose required two'or more braces may be used, one placed upon the other, thereby obtaining all the strength required from the brace, such braces being preferably all of the same size and weight. The holes for the screws in all the braces register with each other, so that a single set of screws is required.

It frequently happens that the top part or 0 back of an article of furniture varies in thickness in different articles, and it is desirable to have at least one screw penetrate near the center or top of such back. In order to ac complish this, the brace can be slightly tilted 5 or shifted from the perpendicular position, which will bring one or two of the four holes 2, 6, 3, and 7 into the proper position. This shifting is frequently desirable where the top piece is made of more than one piece or too where the upper surface of the dresser is of marble. The shifting will be slight, and as the brace is always on the back of the article it will not be visible. If in such shifting one or even two of these holes are brought into position where the screws would not take hold upon the case, it will be immaterial, and no screws would be used in such screw-holes, as I provide a sufficient number of screw-holes for each of the braces to hold the plate securely, even if a part of the screws is omitted.

In case two or more sheets are used in formin ga brace, the holes are so cutin them for the screws that they will register with each. other in such a way that the brace formed of a series of layers may be shifted or tilted for the purpose of bringing the screw-holes in position so that the screws will enter the proper place in the back of the article of furniture, substantially as I have above described.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my sig- 3o nature in presence of two witnesses.

JULIUS BERKEY.

Witnesses: I

EWELL A. DioK, J. A. RUTHERFORD. 

